


Strike Four: The Time with Thai

by Kaiserkorresponds



Category: The Magnus Archives (Podcast)
Genre: Aromantic Sasha James, Asexual Jonathan "Jon" Sims | The Archivist, Bisexual Tim Stoker (The Magnus Archives), Grumpy Jonathan "Jon" Sims | The Archivist, Jonathan "Jon" Sims | The Archivist & Tim Stoker Friendship, M/M, Mentioned Sasha James, One Shot, Pre-Canon, Protective Tim Stoker (The Magnus Archives)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-21
Updated: 2020-10-21
Packaged: 2021-03-09 05:34:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 703
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27069451
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kaiserkorresponds/pseuds/Kaiserkorresponds
Summary: Tim laughed, shaking his head. Leave it to Jon to mistake a date invitation for a job requirement. Or believe that anyone besides him would still be at the office at this hour."Not an 'office outing'. Just the two of us. I know a little place a few blocks down that's a great place to grab a bite. They have the best noodles in all of north London, I swear. You'd absolutely love it."---Tim attempts to ask the newest researcher on a date, and strikes out yet again.
Relationships: Jonathan "Jon" Sims | The Archivist/Tim Stoker
Comments: 4
Kudos: 98





	Strike Four: The Time with Thai

Tim strode into the bullpen, almost certain that Jon would still be there. The junior researcher may have been fresh to the job but he certainly wasn't a stranger to the massive workload. At least from what Tim had seen. Jon had sunk his metaphorical teeth deep into the research job and nothing was breaking that grip, especially not something as mundane as normal business hours. Scanning the room he could see the singular light still on, right at Jon's station. Bingo. Time to see if a dinner invite could at least loosen that grip of steel. 

"Hey Jon," He called, grinning as he sauntered toward the desk. "I hear it's been quite the day up here. Feel like grabbing some Thai? I've heard there's a great special running downtown." 

Jon glanced up, eyes narrowed skeptically. 

"I was under the impression that the office outing was Wednesdays." He said stiffly. 

Tim laughed, shaking his head. Leave it to Jon to mistake a date invitation for a job requirement. Or believe that anyone besides him would still be at the office at this hour. 

"Not an 'office outing'. Just the two of us. I know a little place a few blocks down that's a great place to grab a bite. They have the best noodles in all of north London, I swear. You'd absolutely love it."

He leaned casually against the top of Jon's overtaxed desk, one jean clad leg pressed up against a stack of files. 

Jon frowned. "I still have a lot of work to finish up on, Tim." 

He made a stiff gesture to the near mountain of paperwork piled up on the desk. The mountain that Tim that he was fairly certain he hadn't seen decrease in size since Jon had started at the institute. 

"That's why you have to get out. Live a bit." Tim threw his arms out wide and flashed his most charming grin. "You gotta enjoy life, Jon. You can't stay in this place forever. Besides, do you even have food at home that isn't past due? You've practically been camping in document storage for the last few weeks." 

"I have food." Jon protested, his brows coming together in a huffy crease. "I simply have a lot to get caught up on. Now if you excuse me, I need to finish this." 

He shifted his eyes pointedly from Tim, and plucked up a pen, returning to scrawling denial claims onto a request form. 

Tim sighed at the dismissal. He knew when he had been shot down and he might as well have been a cargo plane in front of a fighter jet. 

Pushing himself off of the desk, he ran a hand through his dark hair. "Well have a good night then, Jon. I'll see you tomorrow." 

Jon nodded, not looking up. "Good night, Tim." 

Tim nodded rather unnecessarily in return, trudging towards the hallway that led to the stairs. 

Failed date attempt number four. Soon he was going to start researching whether Jon was even into dating. It seemed as if no one had ever had any luck in his department and the trail of unrequited crushes was longer than his typical workday. 

Maybe he'd ask Sasha, she had to have an aromantic gaydar of some sort. 

He glanced back at Jon, his messy salt and pepper hair falling into his face and the near permanent scowl etched into his features. The man looked exhausted. Dispite only working at the institute for a few months, he already had the look of someone who had been pushed to the limit for years, maybe decades. Even if he didn't want a date, or even romance in general, he needed some form of a social life, aside from compulitstory office dinners, and filling out an endless conveyor belt of forms. And Tim was going to find something, anything that he actually enjoyed, even if it killed him. 

And at the very least, bring back some takeaway from the Thai place for him. Jon's eating habits were almost as bad as his social life and it would do him some good to have a real meal. 

Plus, then Tim had excuse to hang around during his lunch break tomorrow. 


End file.
